Commuters to Norwalk Transit: Show us the restrooms

Published 8:00 pm, Friday, July 31, 2009

NORWALK

By STEVE KOBAK

Hour Staff Writer

As far as Hot Dog Plus owner Sayed Hassan is concerned, when you gotta go, you gotta go ... just don't go behind his dumpsters.

Hassan, whose store is located at the WHEELS hub on Burnell Boulevard, said some desperate riders resort to urinating behind the dumpsters, and they cause other health issues due to the lack of public restrooms near the bus hub.

Hassan and bus riders believe the Norwalk Transit District needs to install public bathrooms to alleviate these issues.

"It's getting out of control," he said. "It's a serious health issue. You have people waiting out here for one or two hours."

Buses arrive at the hub from as far away as Danbury, Milford, Stamford and Bridgeport, and some commuters ride the bus for more than two hours before arriving in Norwalk.

Waiting for a connecting bus sometimes takes approximately 45 minutes and nearby businesses only let patrons and employees use their restrooms.

Norwalker Jessica Sullivan rides the bus six days a week, including three days in which she rides from Bridgeport to Norwalk.

She said, until it closed earlier this year, bus riders could use the "disgusting" restroom inside of the Riverview Plaza, which is on the corner of Burnell Boulevard and West Avenue.

Now, they have to walk a few blocks to the Norwalk Public Library before they can relieve themselves, Sullivan said.

"I've talked with people about it, and it's really bothersome," she said. "The closest restroom is in the library, and you could miss your bus if you go there."

Sullivan's friend and fellow Norwalker Jania Charles, as well as Norwalker Diane Kozar, are also complaining. Charles said she rides the bus locally and does not need to use the restroom while waiting for the bus. But Charles emphathizes with bus riders who have to wait for long periods of time to use the bathroom.

"I'm good with holding my bladder, but they really should have something for the public," she said.

It does not look like the city has any plans to open public restrooms for the commuters anytime soon.

The Norwalk Transit District and the Parking Authority are working on a measure that would allow bus drivers to use the restrooms inside the Yankee Doodle Garage -- which is across the street from the bus hub -- but so far, have snubbed their patrons.

Kathryn Hebert, administrative services manager for the city of Norwalk, said the city has not explored opening the restrooms in the garage to the public.

"It comes with a lot of liability, and there are a lot of costs associated with that," she said.

Louis Schulman, administrator of the Norwalk Transit District, said he has not received complaints from bus riders about the lack of public restrooms and the bathrooms inside of Yankee Doodle Garage "would not be adequate for public use."

Schulman said the transit district hadn't looked into installing public restrooms because commuters wait at the bus hub for relatively short duration's of time.

"It's not an area where people (who ride the bus) spend a lot of time," he said.

Hassan said the restrooms at Hot Dog Plus are not open to the public but he makes exceptions for handicapped persons, pregnant women and small children.

Winners, an off-track betting facility next door to Hot Dog Plus, which was formerly named OTB, only allows patrons to use their bathrooms. Sullivan said the restrooms are locked and closely monitored and she has been denied entry to the bathrooms.

An official from Winners referred The Hour to Donald Barberino, public relations director for Autotote, the company that owns the Winners. Barberino did not respond to numerous calls for comment.